Continuous flow centrifugation sampling apparatus

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the quantitative recovery of solids suspended in a fluid from such fluid involving continuous flow centrifugation. Samples of the fluid with the particles suspended therein, are simultaneously pumped from a plurality of source locations into a common chamber wherein they become mixed while being continuously fed thereto. The samples from the mixing chamber flow to a sample splitting chamber from which a portion is diverted to a continuous flow centrifuge and the remaining diverted to waste. The quantity of mixed sample fed to the centrifuge is determined so that the quantity of solids collected in the centrifuge can be related thereto. The apparatus includes a plurality of pump units, each having a water inlet and a water outlet, a sample mixer consisting of a chamber having inlets thereto for receiving the water samples from the pump units. The sample mixer communicates directly with a sample splitting chamber having a first outlet open to atmosphere and a second outlet downstream thereof which is connected to the inlet of a continuous flow centrifuge.

I claim: 
     
       1. A portable field-use sampling apparatus for continuously sampling and quantitatively recovering solids suspended in a fluid, comprising: (a) a plurality of pump units each having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;   (b) a sample mixer for evenly mixing said suspended solids in said fluid and comprising a first chamber having at least one inlet thereto and an outlet therefrom;   (c) conduit means connecting the outlet of each of the pump units with the inlet to said first chamber;   (d) a sample splitter comprising a second chamber having first and second outlets therefrom, said first and second chambers being in fluid flow communication so as to cause turbulent mixing of said solids in said fluids;   (e) a continuous flow centrifuge having an inlet thereto;   (f) conduit means connecting said first outlet of the sample splitter to the inlet of the centrifuge; and   (g) discharge means at said second outlet means.   
     
     
       2. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said sample splitter comprises an elongate vertically disposed chamber wherein said first outlet is located adjacent the lower end thereof and wherein said second outlet is located at a higher elevation than the first outlet, said second outlet being open to atmosphere. 
     
     
       3. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said vertical sample splitting chamber depends downwardly from one end of a horizontally disposed sample mixing chamber. 
     
     
       4. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said chambers are provided by pipes connected to one another at one end thereof through a 90° elbow coupling. 
     
     
       5. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said pipes are of equal diameter. 
     
     
       6. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said sample mixer has a separate fluid inlet thereto for each respective pump unit. 
     
     
       7. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said pump units are submersible and including means to retain said pump units submersed in a flowing body of water at a position below the surface of the water and above the bottom of the body of water. 
     
     
       8. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said means comprises cable suspension means attached to the pump units. 
     
     
       9. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said means includes buoyancy means attached to or on each of said pump units. 
     
     
       10. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 1 including orientation controlling means for directing the inlets to the pumps into the stream of a flowing body of water. 
     
     
       11. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said pump units are submersible and including orientation controlling means on said pump units for directing the inlets to the pumps into the stream of a flowing body of water. 
     
     
       12. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said means comprises fins on the respective pump units. 
     
     
       13. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein each pump unit has a vertical fin and a horizontal fin. 
     
     
       14. A portable field-use sampling apparatus for continuously sampling and quantitatively recovering solids suspended in a fluid, comprising: (a) at least one submersible pump unit having an inlet thereto and an outlet therefrom;   (b) means to retain said pump unit submersed in a flowing body of water at a selected position below the surface of the water and above the bottom of the body of water;   (c) orientation controlling means on said pump unit for directing said inlet of the pump unit into the flow of water;   (d) a sample splitter having a chamber therein with an inlet thereto and first and second outlets therefrom and arranged to cause turbulent mixing of said solids in the water in said chamber;   (e) pipe means connecting the outlet of said pump unit to the inlet of said sample splitter;   (f) a continuous flow centrifuge having an inlet thereto; and   (g) pipe means connecting one of said first and second outlets of the sample splitter to the inlet of the centrifuge and the other said outlet providing an overflow discharging to waste.   
     
     
       15. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 14 including a plurality of submersible pump units, means for mixing the output from said pump units and feeding the same to said sample splitter. 
     
     
       16. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said sample mixer and sample splitter comprise a first elongate sample mixing chamber having a plurality of inlets thereto at positions spaced apart from one another longitudinally therealong, and a second elongate sample splitting chamber, in fluid flow communication with said first chamber, in which a first outlet from said second chamber is located adjacent an end thereof remote from the first chamber and a second outlet from said second chamber is located at a position between said first chamber and said first outlet. 
     
     
       17. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said sample mixing and sample splitter chambers are circular elongate chambers disposed in end-to-end relation. 
     
     
       18. A sampling apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said chambers are angularly disposed with respect to one another.